


culpability.

by princevector



Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M, One Word Prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-20 03:32:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4771826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princevector/pseuds/princevector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yosuke feels like he only has himself to blame. Since he can't stop Souji from leaving, after all. Not that he ever had a say in the matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	culpability.

**Author's Note:**

> This is one side of an idea that I have, based on the prompt "Guilt." The second part will feature from more of Souji's POV!

He wants to tell him everything. Pour out his entire soul, for fuck’s sake. But hey, life ain’t that easy, so it seems. 

 

_Because your best friend is moving away and those are definitely not tears rolling down your cheeks._

 

So when he wants to speak with him, Yosuke feels a lump forming in his throat. His once calm stomach twists anxious knots, conveying a message of _“This is a mistake. I shouldn’t tell him how I feel.”_  

 

But they agree to meet up on a cold afternoon. It’s the beginning of March, with a light snowfall and a slight breeze. Yosuke thinks it’s freezing and Souji can’t really complain. Spring’s approaching and it will certainly be warmer. Either way, they end up laughing at each other’s jokes before the silence once again falls between them.

 

 _It’s not a comfortable silence_.

 

It’s only when a serious topic approaches does the awkward silence greet both boys. Kids, as the old folk would refer to them as. It’s fine, they were fine, or so Yosuke wants to believe. They were growing up at their own pace. 

 

“Yosuke.”

 

Nothing wrong with growing up and—

 

“Yosuke?”

 

“Ah,” He snaps out of his daze, glancing over at his friend. Friend… best friend. Partner. Cru—

 

_Partner sounded a lot better._

 

“You all good there?”

 

Yosuke laughs awkwardly, twirls the headphones cord between two fingers, and puts on a big grin. 

 

“Of course! Is there any reason I wouldn’t be?”

 

Souji furrows his brow, eyeing him dubiously. “… I can think of more than one reason.”

 

“ _Anyways!”_ Yosuke clears his throat, tapping Souji lightly on the shoulder. “What’d you bring me out here for? Wanna duke it out again?”

 

Souji laughs, but shakes his head. Definitely not an affirmative answer. Still, he’ll play along with whatever their leader throws at him.

 

“Something on your mind? You seem really out of it nowadays. Between class and the investigation meetings—“

 

Souji goes on, but Yosuke zones out again. It’s not like he meant to tune out his partner’s words, but that bubbling anxiety has only intensified and right now he’d love to just curl up into a ball and never _ever_ wake up. Slipping his headphones on would be the second best idea, however he wasn’t _that_ inconsiderate, and never would he try to be rude in front of Souji!

 

Souji was too nice for that, really too nice… even if he was a little crude at times. 

 

“Yosuke?”

 

“Nope!” He exclaims—nervously— before realizing his poor choice of words. “I mean, I _was_ listening, but there’s honestly nothing going on! I’m all good, I’m just—“

 

“Anxious about me leaving, right?”

 

Ah, fuck. Why did he fall for someone who could read minds? Okay, maybe not read minds, but exceptional at reading people. Now was a perfect time to curl up and never wake up—

 

“Naturally! I mean— You’re my best friend, but I’m prepared for your departure! We all are! We were from the beginning—“

 

“Yosuke, your voice is cracking.”

 

Souji smiles. It’s _that_ smile. The on that Yosuke hates more than anything. Hates he knows he’ll completely falter against it—

 

Like right now. He swallows, buries his face against Souji’s shoulder, and sobs softly. It’s more of a hiccup, moving into continuous sniffles and sobs and yeah, _yeah it fucking hurts_.

 

“Yeah—yeah I don’t want you to leave. Y’know, because you’re special to me. Y’know that already though.”

 

The gentle circles rubbed against his back provide his answer, along with the soft humming— a tune similar to what Souji sings to Nanako sometimes. It’s oddly comforting, even if it can’t eat away at the guilt tugging at his mind. 

 

 _This is fine_ , he reassures himself. _My partner knows that he’s important to me, right?_

 

_I’ll do anything to help him, so maybe I’ll tell him later._

 

That later never happens. But Yosuke doesn’t know that yet.


End file.
